Electromechanical brake systems are known in the prior art. In such systems, electric motor-driven actuators are used in connection with the operation of the parking brake of a vehicle. Examples of such known systems are presented by the patents to Masayoshi Matsuo et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,043, and Taber et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,038. Furthermore, the use of a solenoid to release the pawl of a parking brake system is disclosed in the prior patent to Fasano U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,345.
One problem in such known systems resides in the difficulty in providing compensation for brake force variations due to external factors such as temperature. Another problem relates to there oftentimes being limited power availability when the vehicle is in a parking brake condition (e.g., the vehicle has been parked and shut down).
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings associated with conventional electromechnical parking brake systems, there is a strong need in the art for a system which compensates for brake force variations due to external factors such as temperature. Moreover, there is a strong need in the art for a system which minimizes power consumption in providing such compensation.